1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates, generally, to a tool that assists in hanging an object on a structure, and more specifically, it relates to determining the placement of fasteners, such as nails, screws, pegs, mollies, hooks, and bull hooks, for hanging pictures, frames, carpets, sculptures, and the like, on a given plane and horizontal, vertical, or at a given angle with respect to one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices are known that assist in hanging pictures and like objects so that the object will hang level. However, there remains a need for an improved method for hanging objects, including framed works and similar items, that will hang securely in a level position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,431 to Pedley teaches a cross bar which attaches to the back of a frame of an item to be hung on a wall. At the bottom of the frame there is secured an end piece into which the cross bar is held. The cross bar can be maneuvered within the confines of the end piece such that the frame can be leveled out should the frame initially be off center. The Pedley device requires time, effort and expense to secure the cross bar and the end piece to the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,895 to Hart teaches an apparatus that is attached to a frame before the frame is mounted to a surface such as a wall. The Hart apparatus has a built in level for assisting in the proper placement of the apparatus on the frame. The apparatus contains areas in which fasteners may be inserted to attach the frame and the apparatus to the wall. The Hart device also requires time, effort and expense to secure the apparatus to the frame.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a tool for hanging any object, including frames, that overcomes the herein-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type, that assists in hanging an object perfectly level on a surface, and that is easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture.
The invention is a tool that sets the proper placement of fasteners such as nails, screws, pegs, mollies, hooks, bull hooks, and the like for hanging objects such as pictures, frames, sculptures, and other items on the fasteners or devices attached to the fasteners. The invention may also be advantageously used to hang multiple objects on the same plane at an even or desired spacing, whether level with respect to ground or at a particular angle with respect to one another.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a frame hanging tool including an elongated body member having a plurality of openings formed therein, each of the plurality of openings having an opening edge and a recessed border formed at least partly around the opening edge, and at least one insert for receiving and guiding a fastener to be secured to a structure, the at least one insert having an overhanging edge and being inserted in one of the plurality of openings, the recessed border self-securing to the overhanging edge for removably fastening the at least one insert to the body member.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the recessed border is formed with at least one protrusion and the overhanging edge is formed with at least one recess aligned with and corresponding to the at least one protrusion for removably fastening the at least one insert to the body member.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the overhanging edge has the at least one protrusion and the recessed border has the at least one recess aligned with and corresponding to the at least one protrusion for removably fastening the at least one insert to the body member.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the recessed border has a depth and the at least one protrusion has a thickness corresponding to the depth of the recessed border.
In accordance with a further added feature of the invention, at least one protrusion and the at least one recess are curved.
In accordance with a further additional feature of the invention, the at least one protrusion has a length, the recessed border has a depth, and the length corresponds to the depth.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the recessed border has a border shape, the overhanging edge has an edge shape, and the border shape substantially corresponds to the edge shape.
In accordance with yet another added feature of the invention, the recessed border has a border shape, the overhanging edge has an edge shape, and the edge shape is larger than the border shape.
In accordance with yet another additional feature of the invention, the overhanging edge has a tapered corner.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the at least one insert has a front side and a back side and the body member has a front side and a back side and the front and back sides of the at least one insert respectively lie flush with the front and back sides of the body member when the at least one insert is placed into the plurality of openings.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the at least one insert is one of a plurality of inserts including a leveling insert having a level for determining if a plurality of fasteners are aligned level with respect to each other and a fastener guiding insert for receiving and aligning one of the plurality of fasteners.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the leveling insert has a removable level.
In accordance with again an additional feature of the invention, the leveling insert has recess for receiving the level oriented at an angle.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the elongated body member has at least one cavity and includes at least one level removably disposed in the at least one cavity.
In accordance with still a further feature of the invention, the fastener guiding insert has a fastener guide path and a semicircular hole formed therein for receiving and guiding the fastener and the semicircular hole releasably grips the fastener.
In accordance with still an added feature of the invention, the body member has at least one end with an end opening formed therein and including an end connector received in the end opening of each of two adjacent body members for joining the adjacent body members at a given angle with respect to one another.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the body member has a front side and a back side and the recessed border is formed at least partly around the opening edge on both the front side and the back side of the body member.
Other characteristic features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a tool for hanging a frame, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.